Governor Profiles

(in alphabetical order)

Sir David Arculus:

Finance and Estates Governor

Sir David Arculus is a British media figure, businessman and advisor to the Government. He was a writer and producer for the BBC before joining EMAP where he became their Group Managing Director. He also headed Earls Court and Olympia Ltd and is a Non-Executive Director of Pearson plc. Sir David was a Non-Executive Director of Severn Trent and held a range of non-executive jobs, the most noteworthy with Barclays Bank plc. He was Chairman and remains a Director of Telefonica. Sir David is currently Chairman of ExCel Exhibition Centre, Chairman of Hassium Asset Manager and Chairman of Energy UK.

Sir David joined the Governing Body in December 2015 and is married to Anne.

Mrs Carrie Armitage:

IT Governor
Capital and Property Sub Committee

Carrie has recently been appointed as a Governor. Carrie is a highly experienced Senior Project and Programme Director with a track record of success in the NHS and Public Sector at a national level. She is currently working as an independent consultant specialising in strategic information management and technology planning. She has a BA (Hons) from Newcastle University and an MSc from Southampton University. Carrie lives in Stamford and is an Old Stamfordian.

Mr Tony Barker:

Chairman of Capital and Property Sub-Committee
Finance and Estates Committee

Tony Barker has been a Governor since 2001. Tony is a Chartered Surveyor and a Director at Barker Storey Matthews providing commercial property advice to a wide range of clients both in the private and public sector. He is also a board member of Opportunity Peterborough, an economic development company supported by the Peterborough City Council.

He lives locally and is married to Sue, a teaching assistant. Their two sons were both educated at Stamford School. His pastimes include golf, skiing, badminton and gardening.

Mr Steve Brown:

Health and Safety Governor
Finance and Estates Committee

Steve Brown is currently a Non-Executive Director of a number of public and private sector organisations, including Construction plc and the Peterborough and Stamford NHS Foundation Trust. He was previously a founding director of Center Parcs, Managing Director of Champneys Health and Fitness Group, and a Director within the Thomas Cook Group. He was a Governor of the University of Derby and remains a member of the University Court.

Steve is Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and was appointed as a Governor of the Stamford Endowed Schools in 2006. He and his wife live in Stamford, and their daughter and two sons were all pupils of the Schools.

His interests include the National Trust where he is Chairman of the Midlands Region.

Mr William Burgess:

William is Vice Chairman and owner of Produce World, one of the UK’s largest producers and packers of vegetables and potatoes with operations across the UK. William was appointed on to the Governing Body in 2015 and as well as serving as Chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee he is the Stamford Junior School Liaison Governor.

William attended Oakham School and has a Diploma in Finance and Accounting from De Montfort University Leicester. Living near Peterborough he is married to Jacalyn, has two sons, is a Leicester Tigers supporter and his interests include participating in various sports.

Mrs Val Clark:

Val Clark was appointed as a Governor in September 2005 having previously taught at Stamford Junior School where she was on the Senior Leadership Team and was responsible for child protection and pastoral care. Prior to joining SES, she was Deputy Head of a prep school in Harare, Zimbabwe. She has a degree in History of Art and a European Studies Diploma as well as a Cert. Ed. She is currently an Assistant Reporting Inspector for ISI.

Her interests are visiting art exhibitions, going to France, reading, cooking and walking.

Mr Nigel Clough:

Nigel Clough is a Chartered Surveyor and was appointed to the Governing Body in 2004. He was educated at Leeds Grammar School and Magdalene College, Cambridge and was, for 20 years, Partner at the international property consultants Knight Frank. He now runs his own property investment and advisory company and is an executive director of two property development companies.

His interests include sport, walking and cycling. His two sons were both educated at Stamford School.

Mr Peter Cook:

Education Committee

Peter joined the SES Governing Body in October 2017. Previously Head of Wellow House School, he retired in August 2016 and is now coaching rugby at Shrewsbury School. He is also a tutor for Buckingham University, working with Mathematics graduates undertaking their iPGCE studies in independent schools. Peter has been an ISI Inspector since 2002 and also mentors newly appointed heads for IAPS.

He has had an impressive rugby career playing most of his senior rugby for Nottingham Rugby Club (1980 – 1993) after joining from Wakefield RFC. He was fortunate to achieve county, divisional and national honours at various levels, culminating in two bench appearances for England in the five nations in 1986. His main interests include rugby coaching, cycling, walking, golf and local village cricket.

Mr Mike Cockerill:

Mike Cockerill has been on the Governing Body since 1999. He has a Mathematics degree from St John’s College, Cambridge and is a Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA). Until his retirement he was Finance Director of Newage International Ltd.

Before becoming a Governor he ran Young Enterprise groups and industry conferences at SES and both his sons attended the Endowed Schools in the late 80s/early 90s. His interests include soccer (now only spectator!), amateur dramatics/musicals and modern ballroom and Latin American dancing.

Dr Michael Dronfield:

Chairman of the Governing Body

Michael Dronfield was appointed a Governor in 2009. As a doctor he qualified at St Andrew’s University and conducted research at Nottingham University. He was a Consultant Physician at the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals and Postgraduate Sub-Dean for the East of England Deanery based in Cambridge.

His son and daughter were educated at the Stamford Endowed Schools from the Junior School through to the Sixth Form and his wife taught French at Stamford High School. His hobbies include dog and hill walking, golf, reading and his family.

Mrs Catherine Hammant:

Chair of the Education Committee
Capital and Property Sub-Committee
Special Education Needs Governor

Catherine was elected as a Governor in 2013. She had previously served on the governing body of St. Gilbert’s Primary School for 19 years and was Chairman for the last 7 years. She currently works as an independent consultant working with market towns with a particular interest in public realm projects. Catherine gained a BSc in Geography from Durham University and an MPhil in Land Management from Reading University.

She is married to Jeremy, has lived in Stamford for 19 years and her son and daughter attended the Stamford Endowed Schools. Her interests include singing with the Stamford Singers, swimming and pilates

Mr Nigel Helliwell:

Education Committee

Nigel Helliwell joined the Governing Body at the Stamford Endowed Schools in Autumn 2013. Nigel is on his third Headship, and has been Head at St Faith’s School in Cambridge since 2011. With a roll of 500, this is largest – and Nigel would argue, the best - preparatory school in Cambridge. Prior to that, he was Head of Colfe’s Preparatory School in Blackheath, London. He has also been a governor of Woodford Green Preparatory School.

Nigel holds a BEd (Hons) in Mathematics and Physical Education and an MA in Curriculum Studies. Nigel was elected by his fellow prep school heads to the National Prep Schools’ Education Committee, which oversees the training and education policy for prep schools across the country. He is also a qualified independent schools’ inspector, and an accomplished sportsman, having played rugby and cricket at county level. He now prefers the more gentle sports of golf, tennis and cycling.

Dr John Leake:

Education Committee

John Leake was appointed as the St John’s College, Cambridge Representative Governor in 2008 and serves on the Education Committee. He was a University Senior Lecturer in Materials Science and Metallurgy at Cambridge and is currently a Fellow, Supervisor and Study Skills advisor at St John’s College, where, at different times, he was a tutor, a Director of Studies and President.

He was a member of the Cambridge University Council and also of the General Board, and a Syndic of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, which includes the examination board OCR amongst its responsibilities. He served as an “Institutional Auditor” for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) for some years. His hobbies include walking, history of transport and travel.

Mr Ian Moss:

Ian was appointed Governor in December 2012. He is a Chartered Accountant and has had a varied career in senior finance director roles in companies including Mars, Marks & Spencer and Standard Life with extensive international experience in Russia, Germany and South Africa.

Ian is married to Geraldine who taught Chemistry at Stamford High School and was a Head of Year. They have three grown-up daughters, including Anna who is an alumni of the High School.

Ms Julia Peach:

Boarding Governor
Finance and Estates Committee

Julia Peach was appointed to the Governing Body in 2011. She is a former pupil of Stamford High School and has three daughters at the Stamford Endowed Schools. She gained an MA from Edinburgh University (French and Business Studies) and then had a successful career in the City of London as a bank analyst. Julia became a top five bank analyst in a global investment bank and went on to become a managing director and head of a significant team of analysts at one of the world’s largest rating agencies. She left the City in 2011 to build an asset management business. Julia is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments. She is currently studying for her Chartered Insurance Institute diploma in Regulated Financial Planning.

Julia has a passion for horse riding and enjoys cycling and gardening. She speaks fluent French and loves to spend time with her family in France.

Mr Clive Rickart:

Education Committee

Clive joined the Governing Body in June 2017. After graduating from Manchester University, Clive started his career in 1983 at Stamford School teaching History and Politics. He was appointed as a Boarding House Master and from there moved to Oswestry Junior School as Head. In 1996 he became Head of Lincoln Minster Prep School before being appointed Principal of Lincoln Minster School in 1999. He is passionate about enabling young people to succeed. He became the General Secretary of The Society of Heads in September 2015 and is a governor of two schools. He is now dedicated to supporting, encouraging and inspiring school leaders.

Mrs Miranda Rock:

Miranda was appointed as a Governor in 2014. She has a degree in History and an MA in Arts Administration from London University and she is the Burghley House Director. As well as four children and a husband to care for, Miranda is kept busy within Burghley House in the conservation, research and presentation of the works of art and historic interiors. She oversees all the commercial activities at Burghley which include the day to day running of the visitor experience and education programme, a calendar of annual events and functions within the House and the Park, the retail and catering, marketing and PR.

Mr Nicholas Rudd-Jones:

Nicholas joined the Governing Body in 2014. He founded the Local Living Magazine in 2011, runs the business and is also the Editor of Stamford Living. He also founded the Walking World website which has now become the UK’s leading walking website. Previously he worked as the Managing Director of Johnston Press, Managing Director of Express Newspapers and Managing director of Wiltshire Newspapers. He has an MA in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Nicholas has two sons and his interests include countryside/environment.